Lady of the Sea: The Aureate Chronicles, Book One by Heather Zwygart

Author:Heather Zwygart [Zwygart, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-11-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

As we near the house, Ethan indicates for me to wait outside. “What did you tell your family?” I ask when he returns.

“That we’re headed to the hot pools just west of here.”

“And they’re okay with that?”

“Ma wasn’t thrilled about it, and Pa gave me a look but said I was old enough to be making my own decisions.”

Our eyes have adjusted and we need only the moon’s glow to light our way. A brush of warm moist breeze sweeps past my face, and, in the next instant, I’m enveloped by an opaque cloud of steam. A feeling of calm washes over me.

Ethan speaks in a hushed voice as if afraid to disturb the stillness, “This is it.”

“Promise you won’t light the lantern until I say so?” I ask.

“Promise.”

I remove my dress out of sight of Ethan and gingerly step into the heated water. It smells strongly of sulfur but it feels heavenly. I focus on pulling energy from the water, suddenly unsure of whether I’ll even be able to transform.

I’m all nerves and on edge when I feel ripples pulse through me like shock waves. I feel the release of tension like the final give of an oyster shell when pried open. I’m aware of aching muscles in my back and where my legs used to be as my body adjusts. At last, I’m whole again.

“Avelessa, is everything okay?” Ethan asks from up on the bank.

“I’m ready,” I reply, admiring the iridescent gold and blue scales on my tail, following it down to the curve of my fin where fire and gold merge in a display of radiance.

I can hear Ethan mumble to himself, “All a bit strange. Kai is going to kill me for taking it this far.”

He lifts the lantern above his head and peers in the pool. I try to imagine what he sees. I’m submerged up to my neck, and the steam and murky green water hides most of my torso, but when I draw my tail closer to the surface, I can see the astonishment in Ethan’s face as the light from the lantern reflects off the gold scales.

“A merrow,” Ethan says in utter disbelief.

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